Mason's Morning Minute

Website Nightmares

Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it. It is what the client or customer gets out of it. - Peter Drucker

So how’s your website doing?

Have you ever noticed how much alike radio stations websites look? OK, cue. the wailing and morning, and gnashing of teeth. You see, no one thinks their web site looks like anyone else’s. After all, they’ve put all kinds of effort into designing a web masterpiece. So what if it’s nothing but a bunch of squares, flash changing pictures and blinking lights.

Websites have ceased being marketing tools, and are little more than eye candy in a box these days. Some are very creative from the standpoint of the art of web site development, but most have forgotten what Drucker is pointing out - that it’s not what we put into a website, it’s what the “customer” gets our of it.
Have you ever wondered what your “customer” is getting out of your website? Have you looked to see which pages are getting the most hits? Have you asked the listeners what they like and don’t like? Have you taken a digital look at their behavior when they’re on your website?

All the gimmicks and clever design elements in the world won’t help you make a better brand, that that’s really what your website is - an extension of your brand. The only questions is whether if strengthens your brand or muddies it.

It’s time to leave conventional wisdom about web site design behind, and start thinking of how the reinforce and strengthen the brand instead of becoming a digital nightmare.

Cutting Through The Clutter

"There is very little chance that your marketing message can cut through that clutter." — Nick Rice, creativity consultant

Most radio stations are shades of gray, a slight modification of the same theme. So you get “marketing messages” that have to to do with “best,” and “more,” which are tactics that have outlived their usefulness. With the incredible explosion of new products, including more effective radio stations, the matter isn’t a shade of the same color, it’s a different color all together.

Differentiation is what gets the consumers attention, not slight variations. Take the “Movin’” format for example. The concept that Alan Burns put together is solid, but then as some stations let it become a music-based format, forgetting the emotional connection, ratings began to drop and the story started to circulate that the format “doesn’t work.” Well, it’s not the format that doesn’t work, it’s often the people running the format that just don’t get it. Without the full package of music differentiation AND the elements of a brand, it becomes another variation on the oldies theme. Once again we have met the enemy, and he is us.

Jack had a great start at differentiation, and in many places it leapt out of the box to success. This was a differentiated format, simple and clear. But since to many of the people who went to it were looking for a miracle, with either poor execution, a bad signal, or no resources to build a brand, and once again the format didn’t work.

All formats don’t work in all places, I get that. But I also understand that without a strategic reason for doing something, which includes clear differentiation, and a brand that will keep the consumer engaged instead of just listening, you’re probably going to fail.

One of the secrets is that clear differentiation makes it easier for the consumer to remember you, and use you. Anything less than a brand relationship create as much loyalty as the many gasoline stations you pass. In the new world order, all those gasoline stations have different names, and some slight variations on “mixology,” but when you go out chances are you’re going to go the statin that’s the cheapest or the most convenient. You rarely build a relationship with a gasoline station any more, since they quit being service stations.

You might be doing the same thing with your radio station. If you’re pushing people to only use you when the price is the lowest (fewest commercials), or when it’s convenient (already recognized stations), there’s very little chance you’re going to cut through the clutter and become a recognized entity. I’ve even seen stations that spent quite a bit on outside marketing and still fail, because they didn’t cut through the clutter.

The Story Of Success

"People don't care about cold facts. They care about pictures or stories." —Nancye Green, Founder, Donovan and Green

One of the greatest tools we have to build and deepen loyalty between our listeners and ourselves is storytelling. It’s the language of the imagination, and that’s where we want to create impact.
I’ll bet if you think about it, the people who influenced you and your life the most probably captured and kept your attention through some kind of storytelling. I’ll be your most memorable teacher can only be explained in a story.

In researching this post I came across an article in the “Diva Marketing Blog.” It covers how stories can deepen the connection with audiences. How stories are more compelling than just information, how they live in your mind long after the story.

The most important story to your radio station is the one that brings your brand to life in the mind of your listeners. It’s the explanation of your benefit, the reason your station has a place in their lives, and how you fit into the radio landscape compared to everyone else.

But most of our stories are full of facts, sort of the Joe Friday approach to relationships. We’re “the best mix of everything,” or something else built on fact. But facts don’t motivate, they don’t inflame passions, they don’t become memorable. Facts are only the starting point for your story; you then need to be those facts to life and make them meaningful to a listener.

Storytelling is the new differentiator. Facts matter, because your station story has to be rooted in fact, but it takes stories to connect with listeners on an emotional level. The motivation to choose one station over another – when there are so many choices – is triggered by emotion, not fact.

If you had to explain your station to a listener who had never heard of it, what kind of story would you tell them? Would it involve only the station, or would it be a story that includes listeners?

Fear Sucks!

"Authentic marketing is not the art of selling what you make but knowing what to make. It is the art of identifying and understanding customer needs and creating solutions that deliver satisfaction to the customers, profits to the producers and benefits for the stakeholders." - Philip Kotler

One mark of a good brand is that you have a certain expectation based on the personality of the brand. True brands become life-like entities that you either love or hate. When the brand doesn’t meet your expectation you can be very upset. That’s why some of you were shocked by the title of this, and some of you weren’t.

A good example of not meeting expectations was at the annual Harley Davidson picnic. For years the hot dogs had been free, but this year they sold them, and gave the money to a charity. Didn’t matter about the charity, it didn’t meet their consumers expectations, so they were upset.

Harley’s most recent advertising campaign, however, is pure Harley. It not only meets expectations, but because it came from the minds and mouths of it’s core consumers, it had a resonance no slick slogan or jingle could replicate.

Based on what they call “road research,” Harley found out its consumers are tired of hearing about the poor economy and war in Iraq, and would rather be out riding their bikes. Now, this isn’t a case of whether that’s right or wrong, Harley is smart enough to leave that out and just concentrate on what the consumer believes. The print ad for the campaign starts out with “We Don’t Do Fear.”

In addition to reflecting their consumers mindset with phrases like “fear sucks,” they are asking them to get involved by going to the web site and write their own rally cry.

This is the kind of thing we in radio should be doing! Reflect your listeners mindset in order to meet or exceed expectations. Respond with a bold statement from their camera angle. Create an opportunity to get involved by co-authoring a movement.

What is on your “consumer’s” minds right now? Are you reflecting that mindset on-air? Or is it just time for the 9th caller?

Where's Our Howard Schultz?

“We want to have the courage to do the things that support the core purpose and the reason for being and not veer off and get caught up in chasing revenue, because long-term value for the shareholder can only be achieved if you create long-term value for the customer and your people.” Howard Schultz, Starbucks CEO

Where’s Our Howard Schultz?

I hate the fact that this is happening on April 1, because I want to make sure people understand it’s not a joke. The article in this issue of Time Magazine caught my eye, but these words practically made my eyes bulge our of my head; “…they’ve designed a plan to yank Starbucks’ focus from gaining efficiency and appeasing Wall Street back to selling exemplary coffee with the kind of service and ambiance that makes a $4 latte worth the price.”

“Starbucks will once again grind beans in its stores for drip coffee. It will give free drip refills, offer latte upgrades, and provide two hours of wi-fi to anyone with a registered Starbucks card.”

Carl Gardner has brought Lee Abrams into the fold with the title, “Chief Innovation Officer,” and I have high hopes for that combination, but the rest of the industry seems bereft of innovation or creativity. Why does it seem so many other business are taking notice of focusing on the brand, but not radio? Doesn’t any of the leadership of the mega-groups understand the comparison with radio?

Where’s our Howard Schultz?

Happy Valentines Day

“The emotions aren’t always immediately subject to reason, but they are always subject to action.” – William James, philosopher and psychologist.

I think what James is trying to say here is that people act emotionally, even when it doesn’t make any sense.  If you aren’t sure you believe it, just look at the world of politics.  From the “Daisy” spot for Lyndon Johnson, and the “Bear Loose In The Woods” spot for Ronald Regan, and ending up with Hillary Clinton gaining votes for showing emotion, the logic of issues can be trumped by emotion.

One sociologist put it that people think rational thoughts, and then act according to how they feel.  After years of radio, I have to agree.  Your fans develop an emotional attachment to your station, not an intellectual one.  And they don’t become attached to the music; they become attached to the people on your station.  Just another reason we’re having problems, because radio is becoming less personable and more generic.

Think about the emotions behind today, Valentines Day.  Whenever I doubt that emotion overrides rational thinking, I consider my wife.  When she was thinking about marrying me, she didn’t sit down and do a spreadsheet to forecast my future earnings, or check out the genetic makeup of the family to see if we’d have strong offspring, she fell in love.  Against all odds, with me 6’4” and she 5’2” (I wanted someone who would always look up to me), me a wanderer and she having never left the state of Oregon, she let her emotion override her reason and said yes.  And she’s stayed attached to me for the past 39 years, even though she’s traveled to all parts of the country.  Even more astounding is that she’s still emotionally attached to me.  I’ve noted that in relationships, including listener-radio relationships, the longer it goes on the more loyal they are.

Do you work to forge an emotional connection between your station and your listeners, or do you throw rational thoughts at them like “the best mix?”

OK, gotta go, I forgot to pick up the Valentines present.

Porsche and Radio

"One of the biggest responsibilities of management is to look after the corporate DNA" - Andrew Rolfe, CEO, Pret A Manger

You probably remember the Cadillac Catera story.  Cadillac decided it needed to enter the small car, more performance market to compete with BMW and Mercedes.  But they didn’t really understand their own DNA, or that just because everyone else was doing it you should too, or that they were actually competing in a more defined market - luxury cars.  Well, the Catera isn’t available any more, because it was a dismal failure.  Cadillac means large luxury cars, not mid-size sporty cars.  It’s been used as an example for years, and you’d think that everyone “got it.”

But maybe not.  Let me introduce you to the Panamera, a four-door hybrid vehicle from Porsche.  Yes, Porsche.  It has a very sporty look in the prototype pictures, but also four doors and a front engine.  So, will this become another Catera or a Cayenne.  I suppose you could argue that the Porsche Cayenne “made it,” but only if you didn’t look at sales figures.

Porsche means sports cars, as they should have realized by the success of their Boxster model.  It means high performance.  It means power and thrill.  That’s their DNA, and it’s inescapable.  I doubt it will mean a four door with a back seat almost impossible to get in and out of.

We in radio are guilty of the same thinking that Porsche seems to be:

We don’t “get it” that our DNA controls who we are,  and that each radio station has it’s own DNA.  If you want to know what happens when you try to mess with what your DNA is, look at Michael Jackson.
I’m sure the research at Porsche shows hybrids to be a coming market with great potential, but can they really get there from where they are.  Just because others are doing it doesn't’ mean you can.
Your true market may not be where you want to be.  If you’re performing well 18-34 it doesn’t matter than a huge portion of revenue is coming in 25-54.  You’ll have a very difficult time getting there from where you are too.  Instead you might think about reinventing in the same target market, as Cadillac did with CTS model they now have, or even the Escalade.

The point is that in the modern world, you can’t just decide what you are going to do on your own, and then force it down the throats of the listeners.  You have a DNA factor to pay attention to, which will lead the listeners to decide what you can and can’t do.

What's Your Promise?

“We expect brands to demonstrate their attributes, or brand promise, not once or twice, but every time we encounter them. Inconsistencies in performance can damage our brand relationships and cause us to select other brands. With people-brands, it means we promote, fire, assign projects and compensate based on that brand performance.” -  Nan S. Russell

Every day as I drive between home and work, my phone will drop out at least once.  I guess we all experience cell phone calls dropping occasionally, but this one I can guarantee.  The challenge is that my service is AT&T, who promises the fewest dropped calls.  They’re making a promise, but they’re not proving it to me.

That’s part of a brand - making a promise and proving that you deliver on that promise.  AT&T failed me, but how are you with your listeners?  A brand makes a promise, either implicit or explicit, and so does your radio station.  You probably aren’t thinking about it, but you have some sort of promise.  Do you talk about a music quantity?  Do you mention variety?  Whatever your “positioning statement,” you’re making a promise that your listeners are expecting you to prove. 

When a station offers “the best mix,” it’s promising to play a greater variety of music than other stations.  That’s an implicit promise.  When you have something like the Magic 107.7 Promise, where they talked about not playing songs with bad lyrics or have DJ’s without off color comments, that’s an explicit promise.

Scott Valentine is a brilliant programmer in Seattle, who not only promises “family safety,” but follows it up with a monthly report about how much money they’d turned down from clients who’s commercial would violate, or disprove, the promise.  Wow, now that’s some impact.  It’s one thing to promise that kind of thing, but when you report on the $65,000 they turned down that month, that is proof of performance. 

Sorry Lowry, I know you just had a heart palpitation, but there really are reasons to turn down some advertisers.

Think about it.  Your station is making a promise of some kind, and if you’re not proving it, your listeners aren’t buying it.  That means you’re losing credibility, and that means you’re going to be losing loyalty.  Not sure about you, but that’s not a good combination from where I sit.

The Case For Customization

“If you're attacking your market from multiple positions and your competition isn't, you have all the advantage and it will show up in your increased success and income. “- Jay Abraham

I talked about the coming trend for personalization last week, and encountered some interesting response that’s worth addressing.  Mainly, people wondered about how many people were really going to customize something.  I was talking about the Kleenex customization in particular, and unlike my usual approach, I didn’t mention Starbucks.  But they also have a way to customize your Starbucks card.

So the question comes up, how many people will create a custom Starbucks card, or customize their own Kleenex carton, or even choose their own music on an Internet radio station.  And the answer is (drumroll please) I have no idea.

The point is that I know “everyone” won’t customize everything, and some people will customize or personalize nothing.  On the other hand, I also know the iPod, the ultimate music customization, has done OK, and shows no signs of weakening.  I also know that the younger listeners are much more likely to do it, and the trend can only grow.

My point is that we’re past the days of “everyone” doing something.  What’s important is that some people are going to do some parts of personalization, and it’s a growing trend.  We can’t be looking for the things that “everyone” will be embracing, because we don’t live in that world any more.  Radio station audiences are fragments that are joined together by commonalities of one kind or another, not one big group of listeners.  It’s just not that easy any more.  Your audience is a coalition of people now.

So in our future is the need to  allow different people to do different things.  Some people will customize their radio experience, and some will take it as it is.  But as time goes on, more people will begin to personalize.  That’s the way trends work.

So don’t expect everything to stay the way it is, or everyone to do something.  Expect that YOU will have to respond to what the people want, no matter how diverse they are.

Building Brand Harmony

“An organization can only ‘walk the talk' when its managers deliberately shape its internal reality to align with its brand promise…(the brand's) values must be internalized by the organization, shaping its instinctive attitudes, behaviours, priorities, etc.” - Alan Mitchell, “Out of the Shadows” Journal of Marketing Management
How do you achieve “brand harmony?” In everything you do, that’s how.

First, “brand harmony” is what happens when every single message sent by the organization reinforces the same message. Let me give you an example. New Years Even I sent out to the airport to pick up my wife from her Southwest Airlines flight from Portland. While standing around waiting, I noticed the baggage area. Several airlines use the same baggage area, but this is the only one Southwest uses. The one where our friends from United and Delta had a very typical look to it. The look of it certainly didn’t taken anything away from those “brands,” but it didn’t add anything to it either.

Next to that was where we picked up her bags from the Southwest Flight. It’s true that several airlines use the same area, but this part of it looked like Southwest. Instead of a simple column it’s a stack of luggage reaching to the ceiling. Why? Because Southwest, aside from being a low cost airline, is based on the concept of making flying fun. Interestingly, Southwest isn’t a great airline for we business travelers. It’s full of novice flyers who often don’t really know what they’re doing, but just about every time I’ve flown them I have a good time. If you’ve ever heard the seat belt announcement sung by the attendant, or played along with the lottery for the exact time of touchdown, or heard that “if you’re caught smoking in the lavatory you’ll be asked to step outside,” you know what I mean.

Starbucks has brand harmony, Nike has brand harmony, Apple has brand harmony, and so forth. But now let’s talk about radio. When you listen to a radio station, or look at their web site, do you see or hear the same singularity of message? Is there a sense of brand harmony? Not very often.
Just as we were advised to take ownership of a word in the Positioning days, we now need to take ownership of a concept. Four Southwest the concept is that you can pay low fares and still enjoy yourself. For Apple it’s that computers should be simple and easy to use. For Nike it’s that you’ll be a better athlete in their shoes.

But will radio understand this and change? More pointedly, will you understand and and change?

Are You Merry Or Happy?

You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. - Mark Twain

We’ve all had a laugh at someone’s politically correct statement or action. Sometimes being politically correct can be very funny, but sometimes it can be damaging as well.

When I drove into Orlando to see my client there last week, I saw a billboard for a Clear Channel station on Interstate 4, that read “Happy Holidays.” It was a billboard for the stations annual Christmas music programming. On the surface you might thank, “That’s smart, doesn’t offend anyone that way,” but you’d be wrong. A good portion of the audience for that station refers to themselves as Christian, and the Happy Holidays thing irritates a lot of them. When you think that around 80% of people in Orlando refer to themselves as Christian, you begin to see the danger.

We used this concept to the fullest with Warm 98 in Cincinnati, where TJ Holland, the Director of Programming, made a point out of saying Merry Christmas, and that Happy Holidays was meaningless. They even went as far as to mention the baby Jesus on-air. Gasp! Interestingly, Warm 98 continues along successfully, while the competing AC that had “Happy Holidays” programming has changed formats.

But this isn’t really about being politically correct, it’s about targeting. Radio stations have become so insecure about offending someone and losing a diary keeper that they’ve forgotten to tell their target listener, “hey, we’re for you.” Unfortunately, we live in a world where, increasingly, if a product doesn’t say, “I’m for you,” it’s relegated to that place in the mind where the generic brand x products go to die.

I think this is an outgrowth of the 80’s & 90’s era of eliminating all the negatives. We’ve taken it to such a limit that we don’t have an obvious appeal to anyone. We focus so much on what we aren’t that we forget it’s what we are that draws people to the station.

The point is, you should not be afraid to identify with your target. If you don’t, then you probably don’t have a target, and you certainly aren’t cutting through the clutter to appeal to your target. I remember several years ago when we launched a station in Austin targeted to upscale, variety-oriented listeners who thought of themselves as smarter and better than most people. We used the phrase, “We’re not for everyone,” and the marketing gurus were shocked and dismayed. I was told by several that it was not smart to say you're not for everyone. Fortunately, this rather elitist target didn’t subscribe to that theory.

Which is your core target having right now, a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?

Your Brand Discussion

Brands are the stories that unite us all in a common purpose within an enterprise, and connect us with the people we serve on the outside. These brand stories give meaning to who we are and what we do." - Mark Thomson

Have you read any of your own email to listeners lately?  Do they sound like your brand, or are they like everyone else’s email?

There’s a little company called CD Baby that deals in unusual music styles.  It’s a very upscale place that stays “on message” with the brand in everything they do.

An email confirming your shipment may read, “Your CDs have been gently taken from our CD ay shelves with sterilized, contamination-free gloves, and placed onto a satin pillow.  The email goes on to tell consumers, “Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the crowd as he put your CDs into the finest gold-lined box that money can buy.”

Or if you’re a parent with a daughter who owns an American Girl doll that needs to be sent in for repair, you know the same thing happens at the “doll hospital.”  When it comes back it has hospital clothes on.

What these two companies understand is that (a) every interaction with the consumer (listener) is a chance to build the brand, and (b) keeping your brands story alive can be fun and interesting.

Most of what I see coming from radio stations I’d put into the category of business correspondence.  It rarely matches the brand.  There’s something unnerving about receiving a formal letter from my favorite rock station.  In fact there’s often very little difference in the correspondence. 

How can you come up with ways to turn your regular conversations?

Listening Via Social Networking

“The real marketing potential of online social networks is listening, not talking.” – Tim Manners, publisher “Reveries”

It’s a fact that we’re still stuck in the era of “push programming,” where the listeners got to hear what we pushed through the transmitter, and that’s all.  We’ve learned a little about listening to our listeners, through research, but I don’t think we’ve caught on yet to the power and potential social networking has.

I have little “bots” that go out on a daily basis and tell me who is saying something about Alan Mason, or Goodratings, and then I can read it.  Fortunately, except for the axe murder in Australia named Alan Mason, things are well.  As soon as I have a moment I’ll expand my searches, because there are all kinds of free tools on the Internet that will search blogs, websites, email and all, to find what people are saying.  I’m taking the time to listen.

Radio stations can do the same thing, using the same tools.  But I urge caution, but the new world of the Internet isn’t like we faced before.  If someone says something bad about your station, the worst thing you can do is react defensively.  Instead you need to keep listening to those conversations, and thank your detractors for making you better.  Some conversations are worth avoiding all together.  Others are ones you can join into, but not direct or lead.  Talking isn’t the goal, listening is.

My friend Tracy Johnson has shown me something that’s probably going to be a part of every station’s success.  It’s a combination database, loyalty system, and social network, all revolving around the station.  I guess it’s going to be big, because Tracy can hardly come up for air, he’s so busy putting the systems to work at stations.  One of my favorite parts of the “Eco” system is user-generated content.  It’s difficult for a radio station to involve the listener directly right now, but this is a step in the right direction.

You should be thinking about and looking for every possible way to be listening to your listeners, and as Tim Manners says, the social network is one of them.

CEO Survey Says Customers Count - How About Listeners?

We can believe that we know where the world should go. But unless we're in touch with our customers, our model of the world can diverge from reality. There's no substitute for innovation, of course, but innovation is no substitute for being in touch, either. - Steve Ballmer, CEO Microsoft

CEO Survey Says: Customers Count.

This headline caught my eye in one of the many newsletters I read daily. My first thought was “Duh,” but then I started thinking about the way some of broadcastings mega companies think, and realized this could be a revelation!

It turns out the headline was one of the main conclusions from the 3rd annual NYSE CEO Report. Another conclusion was that CEO’s now have more of a chance to focus on what they all feel they should – their relationship with their customers.

If you do my trick where you replace “customers” with “listeners,” it becomes really interesting. Do you have a relationship with your listeners? Is your communication with them series of unrelated blurbs, or is it a coherent, strategic conversation? That’s the key for the future – a conversation rather than a monologue. We need to start thinking about how to build and strengthen relationships with our listeners.

I know several of you will be skeptical, thinking that all you have to do is play the best music and run cool contests. That’s because you’re still looking at the radio business through the eyes of a radio person, not a radio listener. The conversation is a result of putting the focus on the listener, realizing that maybe content isn’t king – maybe the listener is. But go ahead, I’m sure there’s another year or two in the old, traditional rules, but after that your job will get progressively more difficult, until finally it’s impossible, and you fail.

Others will be agreeing and thinking, “That’s right, focus on the listener, and I know what the listener wants.” Sorry, that’s not going to work either. You and I, we’re not normal. We can think we know what the listener wants, but you’ll only know when you start talking with them. Other industries have figured this out a long time ago, and they have focused on their most important customers to build loyalty. Given the competitive crush coming from several directions, building loyalty just makes sense.

How about you? Do “customers” count in your world too, or are you still seeing the world through the eyes of the radio station?

The Truth About Loyalty

"Apple's really the only company from the early days of personal computing that's still around in the same form. Having survived this long, it's likely to continue - they've got a great brand and some very loyal consumers." - Owen Linzmayer

 

 The PPM is bringing doubt to the concept of loyalty.  58% of P1's are P1 to another station in the following weeks.  Only 42% stay with the same station.  That makes we think we need to reconsider what loyalty really is, and my friend Mark Ramsey sent out the following from his blog: 

 

 "Loyalty.  We ask our listeners for it.  We ask them to join our "loyal" listener club - and in too many cases we actually call it that.  But that isn't how loyalty works. 

 

 Your dog isn't loyal because you ask her for loyalty. She's not loyal because you enter her into a contest where she has a one-in-a-thousand chance of a doggie treat. Yes, she'll jump through hoops for you, but she doesn't do it because you demand loyalty. She does it because she loves you. 

 

        Loyalty, in other words, is earned. It's not solicited. And it diminishes the concept of loyalty to imagine you can bribe listeners into being loyal.        

 

        Loyalty is a two-way street. To get it you have to give it.        

 

        And giving loyalty means delivering what listeners want the way they want it.        

 

        It means uncluttering the airwaves. It means placing the needs of the audience ahead of the needs of the sales department under the assumption that growing the audience will grow sales, while selling out the audience will shrink it and, in the long run, sink sales.        

 

        It means opening a dialogue with listeners, not delivering a monologue. Email "blasts" are monologue. But communities are about dialogue - feedback and communication in all directions.        

 

        Loyalty is about growing a tribe of fans for your station. Not about commanding submission.        

 

        You can learn a lot about marketing from your dog."

And you can learn a lot about marketing from Mark Ramsey too!

Extremism And Failure

No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow. – Alice Walker

What can you learn from a failed radio station?  Quite a bit, if you’re willing to look and forget the excuses. Problem is, when a station fails it’s easier to blame someone else.  What was it JFK was fond of quoting, “Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan.”  But I’ve found the cause is extremism.

On one side are the leadership of the station fell in love with their own ideas, and failing to approach things in an objective, rigorous way.  Instead they’ve decided they know better than any one, and fallen victim to what we call NIH Syndrome, or Not Invented Here syndrome.  It’s amazing how many radio stations are afflicted by this malady.

On the other wide of the field are those who simply copy everyone else.  Just last week I had someone suggest to me that I look at a website that recommended a feature for all stations in a format.  All stations, regardless of market or circumstances.  One size fits all, irrespective of station.  Radio people who’ve lost the ability to think for themselves.

So how can you guard against these two forms of extremism?

Solicit Outside Opinions.  Ask people what they think, and don’t get defensive if their feedback doesn’t match your perspective.  You may identify and resolve a critical flaw you hadn’t noticed.

Write everything down.  Seeing your ideas in black and white can help clarify your thought process.

Ask yourself, “WHY?”  Why is the best idea ever?  Why is everyone else doing it?  And why dones that mean you should do it?

The only place extremism works in radio is where it’s extreme service to the listener.  To succeed your station needs an objective viewpoint.  Without one, you might learn the hard way that you’re the only one who loves your concept.  Or that what’s playing “everywhere else” doesn’t work for you.

Building Brand Equity

The first rule of focus is this: "Wherever you are, be there." - Unknown

I was listening to a station on-line yesterday, and noticed they referred to their “brand” in seven different ways during the day. Some of it was music bound, some was an emotional connection, others were more feature-oriented. I found myself thinking, “Oh well, those other images don’t really hurt them.

Then another thought hit me.

You know that quote from a movie, “Whatever doesn’t kill me makes me stronger?” What if it was revised some for radio, and restated “Whatever doesn’t help me hurts me?” In other words, if you’re sending out messages that aren’t core to the brand, that are more feature of commodity oriented, it is hurting you. You can’t be all things to all people, so when you present something without equity, it diffuses your image in the listener mind, and makes you less meaningful to them.

What’s at the core of your brand? (Here’s a hint, it’s not your music. That’s the commoditized part that your brand is built on). Once you’ve figured that out, what is your imaging and outside marketing saying? Is everything consistent with your core brand, or are you spending time on the commodity and simple features (News and weather together here on Smooth Jazz 96.1). If not, you’re probably hurting yourself.

The Value Of "What If..."

One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries. – A.A. Milne, the father of Winnie The Pooh

I love holidays, because they are permission to let my mind wander and do some brainstorming. While that was happening, some very random thoughts crossed my mind:

- What if, in radio, the 60’s and 70’s were all about setting expectations, the 80’s & 90’s were all about meeting expectations, and the 2000’s are going to be all about exceeding expectations?

- What if all radio stations fell into one of four categories? (1) Generational, such as 60’s or even CHR, (2) a “lifestyle” like Christian or country, (3) A mood service like smooth jazz or soft AC, or (4) informational.

- If a wolf in sheep’s clothing is bad, what is a manager in leader’s clothing?

- What if a radio station really started focusing on what a listener is already doing, rather than what it wanted the listener to do?

- If Apple can sell 500 iPhones, a product advertised well but that no one could touch or feel, why can’t radio promote HD? Is the difference packing and sex appeal?

Oh well, enough of that. Time for you and I to get back to work and stop dreaming.

The Most Important Share

What’s the use of running if you are not on the right road?” – German Proverb

John Moore of brandautopsy.com is a very smart guy. So when he took notice of a book called "The Visionary's Handbook," I took notice myself. One of the things John talked about was a concept of competing for "Share of Consciousness." Since it's so close to our concept of "Share Of MInd," I thought I'd share what John wrote:

"To win consciousness share, the message has to tie to the product to the experiences of the consumers you want to reach, so it can enter the full dimensionality of their lives. The message can’t just celebrate the product – products are everywhere.

You can also create consciousness share by never forgetting that all great consumers – the ones who set markets and launch new product lines – are acutely aware of themselves as markets of one. Fail to win a share of their attention by being innovative at the same time you are pursuing a share of the larger market consciousness, and you’ll be sacrificing the future for the present.

The largest percentage of the market you are ever going to attract occurs at the very moment you begin to lose the customer who made it happen.

Let's face it, sometimes we are so focused on people being a listener we forget they have to think of us first! So no share of mind, no audience share in Arbitron.

ll have a strategic plan, hold the strategy

Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” - Sun Tzu, Chinese military expert

Strategic planning has to be one of the most misunderstood terms in radio. Many think it's just a collection of goals and who is going to do them by when. They don't realize that a strategy means all those goals and actions are interlinked to achieve the overall mission of the station. When you have a strategy every action you take builds equity in the station brand. When you don't have a strategy you may have some successes, but they're all short-term and don't maintain. It's one of the reason some people say that outside advertising doesn't work for radio, that it only pumps up the ratings, which then go back down when you stop.

Ever notice how we like to "critique" someone's radio station? We're great at determining whether they're doing things right. But an emphasis on strategy would start by questioning whether they're doing the right thing. That's the essence of strategy, a unique plan that takes you from where you are to where you want to do, complete with the important reasons you're doing it at all.

Interesting. Tactics without strategy is like arming an army with the latest rifle, and then forgetting to tell them which way to fire. Someone's going to get hurt, but we're not sure how.

As Sun Tzu points out, you need both strategy and tactics, both doing the right thing and doing things right, to achieve true success. But tactics, however brilliant, without a strategy, will eventually get you nowhere - it's the noise before defeat.

ll have a strategic plan, hold the strategy

Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” - Sun Tzu, Chinese military expert

Strategic planning has to be one of the most misunderstood terms in radio. Many think it's just a collection of goals and who is going to do them by when. They don't realize that a strategy means all those goals and actions are interlinked to achieve the overall mission of the station. When you have a strategy every action you take builds equity in the station brand. When you don't have a strategy you may have some successes, but they're all short-term and don't maintain. It's one of the reason some people say that outside advertising doesn't work for radio, that it only pumps up the ratings, which then go back down when you stop.

Ever notice how we like to "critique" someone's radio station? We're great at determining whether they're doing things right. But an emphasis on strategy would start by questioning whether they're doing the right thing. That's the essence of strategy, a unique plan that takes you from where you are to where you want to do, complete with the important reasons you're doing it at all.

Interesting. Tactics without strategy is like arming an army with the latest rifle, and then forgetting to tell them which way to fire. Someone's going to get hurt, but we're not sure how.

As Sun Tzu points out, you need both strategy and tactics, both doing the right thing and doing things right, to achieve true success. But tactics, however brilliant, without a strategy, will eventually get you nowhere - it's the noise before defeat.

ll have a strategic plan, hold the strategy

Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” - Sun Tzu, Chinese military expert

Strategic planning has to be one of the most misunderstood terms in radio. Many think it's just a collection of goals and who is going to do them by when. They don't realize that a strategy means all those goals and actions are interlinked to achieve the overall mission of the station. When you have a strategy every action you take builds equity in the station brand. When you don't have a strategy you may have some successes, but they're all short-term and don't maintain. It's one of the reason some people say that outside advertising doesn't work for radio, that it only pumps up the ratings, which then go back down when you stop.

Ever notice how we like to "critique" someone's radio station? We're great at determining whether they're doing things right. But an emphasis on strategy would start by questioning whether they're doing the right thing. That's the essence of strategy, a unique plan that takes you from where you are to where you want to do, complete with the important reasons you're doing it at all.

Interesting. Tactics without strategy is like arming an army with the latest rifle, and then forgetting to tell them which way to fire. Someone's going to get hurt, but we're not sure how.

As Sun Tzu points out, you need both strategy and tactics, both doing the right thing and doing things right, to achieve true success. But tactics, however brilliant, without a strategy, will eventually get you nowhere - it's the noise before defeat.

ll have a strategic plan, hold the strategy

Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” - Sun Tzu, Chinese military expert

Strategic planning has to be one of the most misunderstood terms in radio. Many think it's just a collection of goals and who is going to do them by when. They don't realize that a strategy means all those goals and actions are interlinked to achieve the overall mission of the station. When you have a strategy every action you take builds equity in the station brand. When you don't have a strategy you may have some successes, but they're all short-term and don't maintain. It's one of the reason some people say that outside advertising doesn't work for radio, that it only pumps up the ratings, which then go back down when you stop.

Ever notice how we like to "critique" someone's radio station? We’re great at determining whether they’re doing things right. But an emphasis on strategy would start by questioning whether they’re doing the right thing. That’s the essence of strategy, a unique plan that takes you from where you are to where you want to do, complete with the important reasons you’re doing it at all.

Interesting. Tactics without strategy is like arming an army with the latest rifle, and then forgetting to tell them which way to fire. Someone’s going to get hurt, but we’re not sure how.

As Sun Tzu points out, you need both strategy and tactics, both doing the right thing and doing things right, to achieve true success. But tactics, however brilliant, without a strategy, will eventually get you nowhere – it’s the noise before defeat.

Mass Marketing Or Niche Marketing

"Mass market has been replaced by a mass of niches."—Jeff Jarvis, consultant, BuzzMachine.com

We keep talking audiences, but we haven’t realized where the road were on is taking us, and that’s to an audience of one. As it always has, the future will look much different from the past, but what we face is such a revolutionary change, that we’re not ready for it. We keep looking at how the radio industry is changing, but that’s not the point. This time around it’s the listener who is changing, and many of us won’t be able to adapt to that change.

A friend sent me a link that puts it in perspective. In it Scott Preacher, a Vice President of Avenue A/Razorfish, talks about “digital innovation.” But this little audio/visual presentation is more than just a digital change, it’s about how technology is allowing people to change.

Take a list to this, and then consider how you will bring about change in your organization, so that you won’t be outdated and irrelevant in tomorrows world.

FM radio on your iPod!

Changes now occurring within communications are one reason why we can’t afford to be silent.” – Jeff Chester, author, Digital Destiny

You may have seen the Jacobs Media survey of over 25,000 respondents that wherein it was reported that the feature they most want added to their iPod is an FM receiver. This caused a euphoric shout of joy across the radio nation, as we saw an indicator that radio still holds an important place in people’s minds. Hoo Rah!

Well, sometimes I don’t like being me, because I’m the one who has to mention that a $50.00 FM tuner for the iPod has been available from Apple since January 2006. It’s also available from a variety of outside vendors as well. A better question might have been how many MP3/iPod owners are aware FM is available, without having to buy a whole new device. I’d follow that up to find out how many of those who are aware actually purchased the iPod Radio Remote, or another device like it.

Apple is being very strategic about the iPod, making sure that the iPod itself remains the driving engine, and having everything else be an add-on. They may change their minds at some point in the future, but right now they are certainly showing the discipline of leadership. They stay focused on the core engine, and aren’t detracted by “add-ons.” We could probably learn from their strategic, unwavering focus.

Some of us seem to think that the iPod is the enemy, if it weren’t for those darn technological advances radio would still be in the drivers seat. While radio will never be “dead,” the facts are that there are more and more options for delivery of music to the end user, options that we didn’t have 10 years ago. But that doesn’t make the iPod the enemy. As the philosopher Pogo once said, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”

As long as radio looks outside of itself for the solution to expanding options, we will not be growing. Few people look to see how these new options can be integrated with radio, and even fewer understand the need to develop listener loyalty beyond the music and other superficial features of the station. We’ve got to start thinking about the “consumer” if we want to develop station loyalty beyond format loyalty. We aren’t going to be able to ignore the digital revolution, and all the parts that come with it, like “consumer generated content” and individual listener-designed playlists.

No, radio will not die and fade away because of the new generation of technology. But it will bring about change, meaning our only choice is to figure out how to adapt now, or do it later when we can’t help ourselves.

What Starbucks Knows That We Don’t

“To win, brands musts be relevant, responsible, honest, definable, and a welcome part of contemporary culture.” – Scott Bedbury, former Starbucks executive

Have you noticed that advertising for Starbucks doesn’t spend time talking about the beans?  Have you noticed that when you go into a Starbucks the focus on beans vs. everything else is about 100:1?

That’s because Starbucks understands that it’s only partially about the beans.  It begins with the beans, but goes on to become what they call the Starbucks experience.  They’re not selling coffee, they’re selling an experience, from the greeting from the Barista to the little sayings on the cup sheaths.

Radio, on the other hand, seems to have it turned around backwards.  The focus is entirely on the beans, with our “best mix of the 80’s % 90’s” or “Today’s Country.”  Only very rarely do you find a station like MoJo 94.9 in Cincinnati, where PD Keith Mitchell and Director of Programming TJ Holland crafted a station built on fun.  They played the same 220 songs or so for six years, and consistently landed in the top 5 with adults 25-54.  John Frost did the same thing in the 90’s when he launched the first “family friendly” radio station in the country.  It was about what you and your kids didn’t hear on the radio.  They never talked about the beans; they focused on the experience.

What kind of experience do listeners get from listening to your station?  And how much does that “experience” really matter?  Well, consider this:  If you had invested $10,000 in Starbucks stock when it hit the market in 1992, it would be worth $650,000 today.  While the S&P rose 200% from 1992 to today, the Dow 230%, and the Nasdaq 280%, Starbucks stock has increased 5,000%.

It’s not the iPod or Sirius that’s pulling listeners from radio, it’s us.  As long as we focus on the beans, while the iPod focuses on the experience, we’re going to lose.

It's A Brand New World

"Your premium brand had better be delivering something special, or it's not going to get the business." - Warren Buffett

Two Texas ranch owners were discussing the size of their ranches when one said to the other, “I have a ranch so big it’s name is the “Circle J Lazy S Box M Stirrup R Homestead.”  “Wow,” said the other ranch owner, you win, that is a big ranch.  How many head of cattle to you have?”  “Only a few,” replied the first ranch owner, “Most of them don’t make it past branding!”

Like the cattle on this mythical ranch, most radio stations don’t make it past branding either.  Unfortunately we’re often like the Texans, coming up with meaningless, confusing “brands” that don’t fit the station.  It’s odd and even confusing that at a time when other electronic media are gaining share of mind through innovation, radio is just sitting there, doing things exactly like we did 20 years ago. 

OK, that’s not fair, 20 years ago we spent money on marketing, and knew the value of talent.  But how we design and package our radio stations is essentially the same, as a series of feature-based “statements,” or ridiculous claims.  If we do wind up losing ground to satellite and Internet, it won’t be because of them, it will be because we only rarely innovate and are doing everything we can to make radio boring.  We ignore the need to build relationships with our listeners, avoid becoming interactive with them, wishing instead for the good old days of TV campaigns.

So let’s set it straight.  Your “brand” is not your station name, or your format, how many times you say your station name and address, or your slogan.  Your brand is the emotional connection between you and your listeners.  No emotional connection, no brand.  Yes, there’s more to it than that, but that’s the essence.

What’s going to be happening to your radio station?  Are you going to make that emotional connection and really build a brand, or will you be like the radio station I found on-line who bills itself as “The Best Mix Of Everything?”

Wht's Your Favorite Shade Of Gray

Strategy is all about being different. – Jack Trout

What's your favorite shade of gray?

The reason I ask is the way most radio stations try to differentiate themselves from other stations.  Most look for slight changes in color, tweaking small elements, instead of making a change in color.

We see a big difference because we’re so close to our own radio station, but unfortunately the listeners live in a color world.

I was recently at a country station that’s third of three in the market.  It’s a good station, not a thing wrong with it.  It was built with all the best knowledge of what makes good radio, and followed all the standard radio rules. 

And so wound up being pretty much the same as the market leader.  The only available audience is those who think the number one and two country stations aren’t good enough, a pretty small pool to swim in.  They’re one shade of gray, the leader is another.  Since the other guy is already at the top of the hill, being similar is a one-way ticket to oblivion.

It seems to be many of us are afraid of using color in our station – truly differentiating it from the competition, - but in today’s world success favors the bold.  You can’t try subtle tactical differences and expect listeners to notice, they’re just not interested enough.  You have to use color.

When I explained differentiation to them I said that, if it was up to me, I’d change the station name to Gretchen, get Gretchen Wilson to be the station voice and spokesperson, and have an all female airstaff.  Now that’s colorful!  And, it would get noticed.

One of the jocks asked me if it was better than the leader, because, you know, females don’t really like other females on-air.  That misses the point all together.  It doesn’t matter if it’s better, as long as there is some draw the key is standing out – being a purple cow, as it were.

They’ll never do it, but I think I got the point across.  When you’re the newcomer, think bold and act bold, and take the color gray out of your crayon box!

P.S.  Most people don't have a favorite shade of gray, they seem them as mostly similar.

Are You A PC Or A Mac?

“America has believed that in differentiation, not in uniformity, lies the path of progress. It acted on this belief; it has advanced human happiness, and it has prospered.” -  Justice Louis D. Brandeis

Are you a Mac or a PC?

There’s no doubt these Macintosh vs. Microsoft commercials are memorable.  They’re also teaching us three important lessons:

1.    Personas create personality.  You get a definite “feel” for the two personalities, and who you might want to hang around with after work.  Developing personas like this will become more and more important as time goes on.  Good radio brands will try to build a personal for their stations.

2.    Differentiation is a key to success.  You can definitely sense a difference in the two personals, and that difference gives you much more of a reason to buy than someone expressing the facts (the Mac is better).

3.    You can’t change someone’s mind.  Even though I love these spots, I suspect they’re much better at reinforcing the Mac people on how bright they are, and possibly effecting some “swing voters,” than they are at changing your mind if you’re a PC person.  Even in the face of facts (the Mac is better), most people will debate and resist.  In fact, you have to be very careful with this approach because it could wind up making the PC people even more steadfast in their beliefs.

We can learn from this.  Is your imaging simply stating the facts as you see them?  Or are you looking for that emotional connection?

P.S.  OK.  I’m willing to admit that I could be swung over by the OQO Model 2.  If you’d like to provide one I am willing to test it out.  But if I change it will be because the OQO is different, not because it's better.

It's Not The Technology

“Competition brings out the best in products and the worst in people.” - David Sarnoff

Satellite radio is in the news again.  The proposed merger of XM and Sirius has a lot of media people buzzing.  Bridge Ratings released a perceptual about the subject that doesn't make me want to run out and buy stock in either.

At the same time Arbitron did an analysis of the Fall 2006 and found that, if XM and Sirius do merge, they’ll have 3.5% of the radio market.  Interestingly, Arbitron also found Satellite Radio subscribers are heavy listeners to all forms of radio, and their listening leans in favor of terrestrial radio.  They spent an average of 14 hours with terrestrial radio, 10 hours and 45 minutes with Satellite radio and 8 hours and 15 minutes with Internet radio.

I’ll tell you one thing I’ve learned from watching Satellite Radio, it’s not the technology, it’s the listeners. 

We like to focus on technology, maybe because of all those years Jack Trout and The Research Group hammered on winning through a technological advantage, but we’re missing the point.  Technology is only accepted when it has a benefit to the listener.  That’s one reason satellite hasn’t grown as fast as predicted.  They chose to focus on variety, which means one thing to we radio people, and another to radio listeners.  Variety to satellite is playlists, but to listeners it’s a variety of my favorite songs.

HD is having the same challenge.  How do you create interest in something when there’s no perceived advantage to the consumer.  Not that there isn’t an advantage, because HD sounds great, but listeners don’t perceive an advantage yet.

Everyone’s favorite station is WII-FM.  What’s In It For Me.  Until that’s obvious to the consumer both satellite and HD radio will continue to be niche novelties.

Personalize Like Starbucks

Brands need to communicate that they are along for the ride. They are made of flesh and emotion. That they are made possible by people.” Scott Bedbury former Starbucks executive

I was reading through the dozens of marketing-oriented email I get, and this one jumped off the page because of how well Starbucks handles marketing, and now much it sounded like a radio station battle.

To promote the individuality of it’s 5,000 plus possible drink combinations, Starbucks is letting people design their own branded T-shirts bearing their favorite drinks.  At starbucks.com, visitors can handpick the drink elements, and choose icons to finish off the design.  The cost and shipping are free.

It’s all about personalization and individuality,” according to Starbucks.  It’s also about giving people yet another way to identify with Starbucks and show off their emotional attachment to them.  Further, it’s about how well Starbucks understands is brand, and its consumers.

The funny part starts with the response from Dunkin’ Donuts, who has parodied the Starbucks experience in their own ads, thus adding to the exposure of the idea, and creating even more word-of-mouth about Starbucks.  As if they're going to change the minds of the millions of Starbucks drinkers by making fun of them!

Starbucks knows their P1’s are proud of being Starbucks drinkers, and they give those people every opportunity to bond with them, this time by putting the consumer in charge again, letting them design their own t-shirt.

When will we spend the time to get to know our “consumers,” so that we quit thinking of them in the one-dimensional perspective of listeners, and begin to look at them as participants, and even promoters, of our “product?”

21 February 2007

Your Stations Community

"Radio stations tend to stubbornly resist the idea that their audiences are communities with a common interest in the radio station and instead view those audiences as pawns in a game of Arbitronic chess.  The way to move listeners is by facilitating and motivating their movement, not by "forcing" it. So, in other words, if you build a community worth participating in, they'll come. And if you don't, all the contests in the world will only nudge you along a path to progress" – Mark Ramsey, Mercury Research

My friend Mark Ramsey covered the use of video by radio stations in his blog last Saturday, and it included the above quote, which is a topic all of its own.

How come a TV show called Oprah and a soap called Dove can create on-line communities, but radio stations don't?  We marvel at the success of MySpace and YouTube, but we still stand on the sidelines and observe as this phenomenon continues.

It reminds me of my wish that stupidity hurt, and that most of us would be in pain of so.  Radio used to be run and populated by cutting edge people who would embrace new technology and succeed with it.  But the people in control are so short sighted their vision doesn't go past the next quarter.  Worse, some of them don't care about the future of radio, and are instead planning their Internet strategies, which are bound to fail because they've missed one of the principle poinrs of all this new technology - they're not in charge, the consumer is.

That thought strikes fear into the hearts and minds of many broadcasters.  They've been thinking they're in charge for so long they either refuse to acknowledge it, or they just shake their heads in wonder.  They have no concept of the listener being anything but a passive participant in their radio station.

Why am I not surprised that Jack San Diego's GM Tracy Johnson is working on this, along with a few others?  Like very few others, Tracy thinks and breathe innovation.

Not everyone can create a social network from their station, but many can.  It works best for stations with a high level of P1's and a large cume.  It may not work at all without an emotional connection with your listeners.  Those are just some of the rules for facilitating a social network via radio.  But they're enough to step off and make a decision to facilitate one.

Where are you?  Are you planning your effort, or are you about to feel the pain of stupidity?

20 February 2007

Everything That Counts

“Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted.” - Albert Einstein

This quote from a pretty smart guy points out one of the larger fatal weaknesses in Wall Street radio.  The total focus is on a kind of quarterly goal to drive the price of the stock in a way the radio business can't sustain.  We've become an industry that is so busy reacting to "the street" that we've sacrificed the long term.

I should have seen this future when I met one of the current industry "leaders" and he reacted to seeing my Newton by saying "can you put a spreadsheet on that?"  He is one of those B-school graduates who only understands what can be counted, and therefore doesn't know much about the real business of radio.

If he did he'd be asking about what drives long-term loyalty.  But an "emotional connection" can't be counted, so for he and his brothers it doesn't exist.

Meanwhile other industries do seem to understand.  Best Buy is a good example of creating an emotional connection to customers, said Michael Bills, Managing Director at retail consultancy Fitch: RPA. "For most retailers, it's much more based on logic than emotion," he said in a panel discussion. "The value proposition of lowest price won't work. If a company isn't offering a deep experience that includes emotional triggers, then that becomes a disadvantage."

"Our recommendation is to focus less on operational efficiencies and more on the emotional connection," he added. Ninety-nine percent of retailers focus on operations and are rewarded for it. Wall Street's rewarding the wrong things in the retail space. Long-term loyalty should be the goal, not just sales volume and efficiency, Bills explained.

Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted. 

You can count on it.

When Better Isn't

“Competitive strategy is about being different. It means deliberately choosing to perform activities differently or to perform different activities than rivals to deliver a unique mix of value.” - Michael Porter

Every time I see a plan that includes the word "better," or hear someone proclaiming to be "the best," I shudder.  The radio battlefield is ripe with the corpses of better/best radio stations.  It's a concept that's bound to fail in the modern world.

The first problem is that you have to prove you're better, which means you have to do so in relation to other stations, which often leads to proving you're just like everyone else.  Can you really demonstrate your music is the best in a world where almost everyone is testing their music? 

Not according to the listeners.  You'd have to show a giant, obvious chasm between yourself and your competitors, because listeners hear in black and white, not the shades of grey we usually promote in.

Worse, you'd also have to get them to admit they're wrong and have made a bad decision, because they probably already have a favorite station.  Good luck getting them to admit they're stupid enough to not sec you're better.  Unless you're the market leader by a huge margin, there's little chance to prove you're better.

But you can prove that you're different, if you really are.  Different is another option, something other than what they have, and most people like to look at their options.  Then you face an open mind, and you only have to show the value of your difference. 

Better/best is "you've made a bad decision."  Different is "here's something you didn't know about."  Which do you think the listeners in your market are more apt to respond to positively?

Say Hello To The Wal-Mart Girls

If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful. Jeff Bezos

Who’s doing your buzz?

In case you missed it, one of the interesting controversies of 2007 is the country song Wal-Mart girls.  Shot partly in front of a Wal-Mart are a bevy of Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader women you wouldn’t expect to find at Wal-Mart.  The controversy?  Wal-Mart didn’t know about the music video until a consumer told them.  Wal-Mart effectively lost control of their brand, although I’m not sure they mind, considering the positive tone of the song and the attention their getting.
Like blogs and youtube, things like this scare most radio people to death.  We’re so used to having control of everything to do with the station, the concept someone could write a bad review, or create their own commercial about your station, is a nightmare.

How do you handle this kind of marketing anarchy?  You might want to look at what Volvo has done.  They’ve posted a commercial for their new C-30 on line, and are inviting people to vote on their web site.  You can vote for, or against the new C-30.  Cute little animated guy cheers for voting yes, and throws up for voting no.

As odd as it sounds, Volvo has gotten the idea right.  They know they can’t stop it from happening, so they step out and invite it to happen!  The fact there is the chance to vote for or against adds credence to the company.

True, some of these are commercial entities, but they’re consumers in other ways.  We should be looking at how we can use places like youtube  ourselves.  I know I’d like to generate as much word-of-mouth as the Wal-Mart Girls video has.

I think we’d better get used to it.  More and more we’re going to see people using simple movie software to create their own campaigns.  It’s called consumer generated content, and I’ve talked about it here in the past.  The question is, what are you going to do?

P.S.  There are 2306 videos on youtube with “radio station” in the title

Does Your Radio Station Smell?

"Branding is about leveraging all the senses.&